Dutch Design Week

Does Eindhoven deserve to run for design capital of the Netherlands title? We think so!

The Dutch approach to designing for the future and the Design Academy Eindhoven, which produces world-class products and designers, sets them apart from the rest. Home Editor Leana Schoeman reviews some impressive installments at Dutch Design Week

19 November 2017 - 00:00 By Leana Schoeman

CONNEXIONS
An installation (pictured above) by photographer and artist Charles Pétillon consists of 10 gigantic balloons that are interconnected and covered with Sunbrella's latest collection of fabrics, displaying the fabrics in a new and exciting way by exhibiting the structure in different indoor and outdoor spaces.ENLIGHTEN
Dutch Invertuals collaborated with the iconic Luxaflex brand to explore light in new forms. Six designers shared their vision, going beyond the obvious. Their exploration will move, shine and glow, providing the audience with insights into aesthetics, experiences and functions. By reflecting on these perspectives, Invertuals reconsiders light and its relationship with products designed by Luxaflex.FUNDAMENTALS
As founder, curator and art director of Dutch Invertuals, Wendy Plomp invited Raw Color to join as guest curator alongside Daphna Laurens, who created the exhibition design. Together they take the viewer on an inspiring journey into the foundations of the design process, shedding new light on Dutch Invertuals and the designers they have worked with over the past nine years. Invertuals offers a glimpse into their private archive, allowing an insight into designers' individual identities.THE COLBACK EXPERIMENT
Showing astounding results, a group of interdisciplinary designers experimented with Colback, a technical textile produced by Low & Bonar, used in transportation and decoration. During the process, the boundaries of both materials and designers were stretched to the limit, resulting in fascinating designs and products. From seating and lighting to graphic art and acoustic panels, the material morphed from something visually insignificant into something remarkable - celebrating its functionality and aesthetic in a new way. See in4nite.com.ENVISIONS
Born from the idea that experimentation is the key to innovation, Dutch collective Envisions approached Spanish wood manufacturer Finsa to collaborate on this year's project. After its debut in Milan last year, Envisions returned with another first: an experimental collaboration between designer and industry, where the emphasis is not on the finished product but on the possibilities uncovered along the way. Envisions considers the process of design to be a defining factor, one which is often undervalued and rarely exposed.THE TINKERING LABS
As part of Dutch Design Week, Kiki & Joost celebrated the opening of their new Eindhoven studio with 'The Tinkering Labs' exhibition.
Located in a former Philips laboratory, the studio is a place for spontaneous creation and physical exploration across mediums and materials and a hub of experimentation.
This tinkering is at the heart of both Kiki and Joost's innovative designs - and how every great project begins.PRECIOUS PLASTIC
On everyone’s lips was designer Dave Hakkens’s incredible campaign concept “precious plastic”. The project, which started in 2013, was motivated by the need for a solution to reduce plastic pollution. Hakkens, 28, who trained as an industrial engineer, introduced a machine that recycles waste plastic and creates useful objects out of it. The machine is made out of affordable materials and is easy to build. It comes with a free online guide and extensive support so you can build your own, or order one from the website.• For more on DDW17 visit their website and/or their Instagram..

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